Hellblazer , also known as John Constantine, Hellblazer, is an American comic book series starring John Constantine. The character, created by Alan Moore, Stephen R. Bissette, and John Totleben first appeared in Swamp Thing (vol. 2) #37 (June 1985) as a supporting character, and later appeared as the protagonist of his own series in 1988. In 1993, the series started being published under DC's newly founded imprint Vertigo, and by its cancellation it was the imprint's longest-running series. [1]
Hellblazer has been incompletely collected into many trade paperbacks. The first UK editions, printed by Titan Books, reprinted the original colour issues in black and white. Though subsequent editions were in color, they were not numbered and not always released chronologically. While some issues were never collected in trade form, some early issues appear in books. Starting in April 2011, Vertigo began republishing the series in new numbered editions, collecting the series in proper chronological order and including issues that had been left out of earlier editions. The new editions also include short stories, prose pieces, original graphic novels, related mini-series, and crossover issues from other series, most commonly Swamp Thing .
John Constantine first starred in his own solo series Hellblazer in 1988, which ran until its cancellation in 2013. The character was then introduced into the main DC continuity with the fourth wave of the New 52 releases in Constantine, which featured a younger version of the character with a new backstory, and ran until 2015. [1] It was relaunched as Constantine: The Hellblazer under a new creative team which attempted to bring back to "the core tenets of [Constantine's] character", running for thirteen issues. [2] [3] The series was once again cancelled and relaunched to coincide with the release of DC Rebirth , including an introduction one-shot titled The Hellblazer: Rebirth, and running for twenty-four issues. This series brought back elements from the original series, while still being rated PG-13. [4] In July 2019, it was announced that a new series would be released under The Sandman Universe line, published under Vertigo's successor imprint DC Black Label, starting with a new one-shot titled The Sandman Presents: Hellblazer. [5] The series was cancelled with issue twelve. [6]
Title | Issues | Cover dates | Imprint | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hellblazer | #1 – 300 | January 1988 – April 2013 | DC Comics (#1–62); Vertigo Comics (#63–300); Vertigo X (#181–191) | [7] |
Constantine | #1 – 23 | May 2013 – May 2015 | DC Comics | [8] |
Constantine: The Hellblazer | #1 – 13 | August 2015 – August 2016 | [9] | |
The Hellblazer | #1 – 24 | October 2016 – September 2018 | [10] | |
John Constantine: Hellblazer | #1 – 12 | January 2020 – January 2021 | DC Black Label, The Sandman Universe | [11] |
Title | Issues | Cover dates | Imprint | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
The Horrorist | #1 – 2 | December 1995 – January 1996 | Vertigo Comics | Spin-off of Hellblazer starring John Constantine. |
Hellblazer/The Books of Magic | #1 – 2 | December 1997 – January 1998 | ||
The Trenchcoat Brigade | #1 – 4 | March 1999 – June 1999 | Miniseries starring John Constantine, Doctor Occult, the Phantom Stranger, Mister E and Rose Psychic. | |
The Sandman Presents: Love Street | #1 – 3 | July 1999 – September 1999 | Spin-off of The Sandman , The Dreaming and Hellblazer. Constantine appears as one of the main characters. | |
Hellblazer Special: Bad Blood | #1 – 4 | September 2000 – December 2000 | ||
Hellblazer Special: Lady Constantine | #1 – 4 | February 2003 – May 2003 | Vertigo Comics; Vertigo X (#3–4) | [12] |
Hellblazer Special: Papa Midnite | #1 – 5 | April 2005 – August 2005 | Vertigo Comics | [13] |
Hellblazer Presents: Chas - The Knowledge | #1 – 5 | September 2008 – January 2009 | [14] | |
Hellblazer: City of Demons | #1 – 5 | December 2010 – February 2011 | Indicia title changed to John Constantine: Hellblazer: City of Demons with issue #5. [15] | |
Hellblazer: Rise and Fall | #1 – 3 | November 2020 – March 2021 | DC Black Label | [16] |
John Constantine, Hellblazer: Dead in America | #1 – 8 | January 2024 – | Continuation of the 2020 series. |
Title | Cover date | Imprint | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Hellblazer Annual #1 | September 1989 | Vertigo Comics | |
Hellblazer Special #1 | November 1993 | ||
Heartland | March 1997 | Spin-off of Hellblazer. However, John Constantine makes no appearance. | |
Millennium Edition: Hellblazer #1 | July 2000 | Vertigo Comics; DC Comics Millennium Edition | Reprints Hellblazer #1. |
Vertigo Secret Files: Hellblazer #1 | August 2000 | Vertigo Comics | |
2005 | New printing coinciding with the release of the film Constantine . [17] | ||
Constantine: The Official Movie Adaptation | January 2005 | Comic adaptation of the 2005 film Constantine. [18] | |
Hellblazer - Special Constantine DVD Issue | April 2005 | In-case extra with the Constantine - 2-Disc Deluxe Edition DVD. Reprints Hellblazer #41 and Vertigo Secret Files: Hellblazer #1 | |
Hellblazer #1 Special Edition | July 2010 | Reprints Hellblazer #1. | |
Vertigo Resurrected: Hellblazer #1 | February 2011 | Reprints Hellblazer #57–58, 245–246. [19] | |
Vertigo Resurrected: Hellblazer: Bad Blood #1 | June 2011 | Reprints Hellblazer: Bad Blood #1–4. [20] | |
Hellblazer Annual 2011 | February 2012 | [21] | |
Constantine: Futures End #1 | November 2014 | DC Comics | Tie-in one-shot to the Futures End event. 3D lenticular cover. [22] |
Constantine/Hellblazer #1 Special Edition | December 2014 | Flipbook reprinting Constantine #1 and Hellblazer #1. | |
The Hellblazer: Rebirth #1 | September 2016 | Tie-in one-shot to the DC Rebirth relaunch event. [23] | |
The Sandman Universe Presents: Hellblazer #1 | December 2019 | DC Black Label, The Sandman Universe | Introduction one-shot to the new ongoing series. [24] |
Story title | Issue | Cover date | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
"Tainted Love" | Vertigo Jam #1 | August 1993 | |
"Tell Me" | Vertigo: Winter's Edge #1 | January 1998 | |
"All Those Little Girls and Boys" | Vertigo: Winter's Edge #2 | January 1999 | |
"Another Bloody Christmas" | Vertigo: Winter's Edge #3 | January 2000 | |
"Exposed" | 9-11 Volume 2 | February 2002 | Published in a 9-11 benefit book. |
"Letter from a Suicide" | House of Mystery Halloween Annual #1 | December 2009 | |
"Shoot" | Vertigo Resurrected #1 | October 2010 | Originally planned for Hellblazer #141, it was not released at that time due to the 1999 Columbine shootings. |
"Bonfire Night" | House of Mystery Halloween Annual #2 | December 2010 |
Title | Publication date | Format | ISBN | Imprint | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
John Constantine, Hellblazer: All His Engines | January 2005 | Hardcover | 978-1401203160 | Vertigo Comics | [25] |
July 2006 | Softcover | 978-1401203177 | [26] | ||
Dark Entries | August 2009 | Hardcover | 978-1401213862 | Vertigo Crime | [27] |
August 2010 | Softcover | 978-1401224295 | [28] | ||
John Constantine, Hellblazer: Pandemonium | February 2010 | Hardcover | 978-1401220358 | Vertigo Comics | [29] |
February 2011 | Softcover | 978-1401220396 | [30] | ||
The Mystery of the Meanest Teacher: A Johnny Constantine Graphic Novel | June 2021 | Paperback | 978-1779501233 | DC Comics | Targeted towards young children. [31] |
Constantine: Distorted Illusions | October 2022 | Paperback | 978-1779507730 | DC Comics | Targeted towards young adults. [32] |
All collected editions were released in trade paperback format, unless noted otherwise.
Originally the series was collected irregularly. These volumes are preceded by volumes 3–7 of Swamp Thing.
Title | Volume | Material collected | Publication date | ISBN | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hellblazer | Original Sins | Hellblazer #1–9 | August 1992 | 978-1563890529 | [33] |
The Devil You Know | Hellblazer #10–13 | May 2007 | 978-1401212698 | [34] | |
The Fear Machine | Hellblazer #14–22 | July 2008 | 978-1401218621 | [35] | |
The Family Man | Hellblazer #23–24, 28–33 | October 2008 | 978-1401219642 | [36] | |
Dangerous Habits | Hellblazer #41–46 | February 1994 | 978-1563891502 | [37] | |
Bloodlines | Hellblazer #47–50, 52–55, 59–61 | December 2007 | 978-1401215149 | [38] | |
Fear and Loathing | Hellblazer #62–67 | January 1997 | 978-1563892028 | [39] | |
Tainted Love | Hellblazer #68–71, Special #1 | July 1998 | 978-1563894565 | [40] | |
Damnation's Flame | Hellblazer #72–77 | May 1999 | 978-1563895081 | [41] | |
Rake at the Gates of Hell | Hellblazer #78–83; Heartland | October 2003 | 978-1401200022 | [42] | |
Son of Man | Hellblazer #129–133 | March 2004 | 978-1401202026 | [43] | |
Haunted | Hellblazer #134–139 | January 2003 | 978-1563898136 | [44] | |
Setting Sun | Hellblazer #140–143 | September 2004 | 978-1401202453 | [45] | |
Shoot | "Shoot" from Vertigo Resurrected #1; Hellblazer #144–145, 245–246, 250 | March 2014 | 978-1401247485 | [46] | |
Hard Time | Hellblazer #146–150 | November 2000 | 978-1563896965 | [47] | |
Good Intentions | Hellblazer #151–156 | February 2002 | 978-1563898563 | [48] | |
Freezes Over | Hellblazer #157–163 | May 2003 | 978-1563899713 | [49] | |
Highwater | Hellblazer #164–174 | June 2004 | 978-1401202231 | [50] | |
Red Sepulchre | Hellblazer #175–180 | May 2005 | 978-1401204853 | [51] | |
Black Flowers | Hellblazer #181–186 | September 2005 | 978-1401204990 | [52] | |
Staring at the Wall | Hellblazer #187–193 | January 2006 | 978-1401209292 | [53] | |
Stations of the Cross | Hellblazer #194–200 | August 2006 | 978-1401210021 | [54] | |
Reasons to Be Cheerful | Hellblazer #201–206 | April 2007 | 978-1401212513 | [55] | |
The Gift | Hellblazer #207–215 | September 2007 | 978-1401214531 | [56] | |
Empathy is the Enemy | Hellblazer #216–222 | November 2006 | 978-1401210663 | [57] | |
The Red Right Hand | Hellblazer #223–228 | July 2007 | 978-1401213428 | [58] | |
Joyride | Hellblazer #230–237 | February 2008 | 978-1401216511 | [59] | |
The Laughing Magician | Hellblazer #238–242 | September 2008 | 978-1401218539 | [60] | |
The Roots of Coincidence | Hellblazer #243–244, 247–249 | May 2009 | 978-1401222512 | [61] | |
Scab | Hellblazer #251–255; material from Hellblazer #250 | November 2009 | 978-1401225018 | [62] | |
Hooked | Hellblazer #256–260 | June 2010 | 978-1401227289 | [63] | |
India | Hellblazer #261–266 | October 2010 | 978-1401228484 | [64] | |
Bloody Carnations | Hellblazer #267–275 | August 2011 | 978-1401231521 | [65] | |
Phantom Pains | Hellblazer #276–282 | February 2012 | 978-1401233990 | [66] | |
The Devil's Trench Coat | Hellblazer #283–291 | October 2012 | 978-1401237202 | [67] | |
Death and Cigarettes | Hellblazer #292–300, Annual 2011 | June 2013 | 978-1401240936 | [68] |
In 2011, Vertigo started reprinting the series in new, numbered trade paperbacks in chronological order.
# | Title | Material collected | Pages | Publication date | ISBN | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Original Sins |
| March 2011 | 978-1401230067 | [69] | |
2 | The Devil You Know |
| January 2012 | 978-1401233020 | [70] | |
3 | The Fear Machine |
| June 2012 | 978-1401235192 | [71] | |
4 | The Family Man |
| November 2012 | 978-1401236908 | [72] | |
5 | Dangerous Habits |
| May 2013 | 978-1401238025 | [73] | |
6 | Bloodlines |
| August 2013 | 978-1401240431 | [74] | |
7 | Tainted Love |
| December 2013 | 978-1401243036 | [75] | |
8 | Rake at the Gates of Hell |
| June 2014 | 978-1401247492 | [76] | |
9 | Critical Mass |
| October 2014 | 978-1401250720 | [77] | |
10 | In the Line of Fire |
| February 2015 | 978-1401251376 | [78] | |
11 | Last Man Standing |
| August 2015 | 978-1401255299 | [79] | |
12 | How to Play with Fire |
| January 2016 | 978-1401258108 | [80] | |
13 | Haunted |
| May 2016 | 978-1401261412 | [81] | |
14 | Good Intentions |
| August 2016 | 978-1401263737 | [82] | |
15 | Highwater |
| January 2017 | 978-1401265793 | [83] | |
16 | The Wild Card |
| May 2017 | 978-1401269098 | [84] | |
17 | Out of Season |
| September 2017 | 978-1401273668 | [85] | |
18 | The Gift |
| January 2018 | 978-1401275389 | [86] | |
19 | The Red Right Hand |
| July 2018 | 978-1401280802 | [87] | |
20 | Systems of Control |
| January 2019 | 978-1401285692 | [88] | |
21 | The Laughing Magician |
| July 2019 | 978-1401292126 | [89] | |
22 | Regeneration |
| January 2020 | 978-1401295684 | [90] | |
23 | No Future |
| September 2020 | 978-1779503053 | [91] | |
24 | Sectioned |
| February 2021 | 978-1779509529 | [92] | |
25 | Another Season |
| August 2021 | 978-1779510297 | [93] | |
26 | The Curse of the Constantines |
| March 2022 | 978-1779514981 | [94] |
# | Title | Material collected | Pages | Publication date | ISBN | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | The Spark and the Flame |
| 146 | February 18, 2014 | 978-1401243234 | [95] |
2 | Blight |
| 144 | August 12, 2014 | 978-1401247478 | [96] |
3 | The Voice in the Fire |
| 144 | February 24, 2015 | 978-1401250850 | [97] |
4 | The Apocalypse Road |
| 144 | August 25, 2015 | 978-1401254704 | [98] |
Forever Evil: Blight |
| 416 | September 30, 2014 | 978-1401250065 | Crossover with Justice League Dark , Trinity of Sin: Pandora and Trinity of Sin: The Phantom Stranger. [99] |
# | Title | Material collected | Pages | Publication date | ISBN | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Going Down |
| 127 | February 16, 2016 | 978-1401259723 | [100] |
2 | The Art of the Deal |
| 184 | September 27, 2016 | 978-1401263713 | [101] |
# | Title | Material collected | Pages | Publication date | ISBN | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | The Poison Truth |
| 168 | April 4, 2017 | 978-1401268862 | [102] |
2 | The Smokeless Fire |
| 144 | October 31, 2017 | 978-1401273897 | [103] |
3 | The Inspiration Game |
| 144 | March 13, 2018 | 978-1401278014 | [104] |
4 | The Good Old Days |
| 144 | December 24, 2018 | 978-1401286279 | [105] |
Published under DC Black Label.
# | Title | Material collected | Pages | Publication date | ISBN | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Marks of Woe |
| 216 | September 29, 2020 | 978-1779502896 | [106] |
2 | The Best Version of You |
| 168 | March 30, 2021 | 978-1779509536 |
Title | Material collected | Pages | Publication date | ISBN | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hellblazer: Lady Constantine |
| March 2006 | 978-1401209421 | [107] | |
Hellblazer: Papa Midnite |
| April 2006 | 978-1401210038 | [108] | |
Hellblazer Presents: Chas |
| April 2009 | 978-1401221270 | [109] | |
Hellblazer: City of Demons |
| May 2011 | 978-1401231538 | [110] | |
Hellblazer: Rise and Fall |
| 135 | April 27, 2021 | 978-1779513540 | [111] |
Constantine is found in most Swamp Thing collections from volume 3, The Curse. He appears in every subsequent volume of the 1985 series and in volume 1, Bad Seed, of the 2004 series.
Title | Material collected | Pages | Publication date | ISBN | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Constantine: The Hellblazer Collection |
| January 2005 | 978-1401203405 | [112] | |
John Constantine, Hellblazer 30th Anniversary Edition |
| November 2018 | 978-1401284794 | Hardcover. [113] | |
Hellblazer by Garth Ennis Omnibus |
| March 2020 | 978-1401299910 | Oversized hardcover. [114] |
Author John Shirley has written three Hellblazer-related novels: a novelisation of the film Constantine , released in 2005, War Lord, and Subterranean, a pair of original novels based around the Constantine seen in the comics, both of which were released in 2006. The novel War Lord treats the film Constantine as an alternate universe within the comics' continuity.
The Sandman is a comic book written by Neil Gaiman and published by DC Comics. Its artists include Sam Kieth, Mike Dringenberg, Jill Thompson, Shawn McManus, Marc Hempel, Bryan Talbot, and Michael Zulli, with lettering by Todd Klein and covers by Dave McKean. The original series ran for 75 issues from January 1989 to March 1996. Beginning with issue No. 47, it was placed under DC's Vertigo imprint, and following Vertigo's retirement in 2020, reprints have been published under DC's Black Label imprint.
Vertigo Comics was an imprint of American comic book publisher DC Comics started by editor Karen Berger in 1993. Vertigo's purpose was to publish comics with adult content, such as nudity, drug use, profanity, and graphic violence, that did not fit the restrictions of DC's main line, thus allowing more creative freedom. Its titles consisted of company-owned comics set in the DC Universe, such as The Sandman and Hellblazer, and creator-owned works, such as Preacher, Y: The Last Man and Fables.
John Constantine is a fictional character who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Constantine first appeared in Swamp Thing #37, and was created by Alan Moore, Steve Bissette, and John Totleben.
John Constantine, Hellblazer is an American contemporary horror comic-book series published by DC Comics since January 1988, and subsequently by its Vertigo imprint since March 1993, when the imprint was introduced. Its central character is the streetwise English sorcerer and con man John Constantine, who was created by Alan Moore and Stephen R. Bissette, and first appeared as a supporting character in Swamp Thing #37, during that creative team's run on that title. Hellblazer had been published continuously since January 1988, and was Vertigo's longest-running title, the only remaining publication from the imprint's launch. In 2013, the series concluded with issue 300, and was replaced by Constantine, which returned the character to the mainstream DC Universe. The original series was revived in November 2019 for twelve issues as part of The Sandman Universe line of comics, under the DC Black Label brand. Well known for its extremely pessimistic tone and social/political commentary, the series has spawned a film adaptation, television show, novels, and multiple spin-offs and crossovers.
Lucifer Samael Morningstar is a character who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is an adaptation of Lucifer—the Biblical fallen angel and devil of Christianity—and is one of the most powerful beings in the DC Universe. Though various versions of the Devil have been presented by DC Comics, this interpretation by Neil Gaiman debuted in The Sandman #4 in 1989. Lucifer appears primarily as a supporting character in The Sandman and as the protagonist of the spin-off Lucifer.
Death: The High Cost of Living is a comic written by Neil Gaiman with art by Chris Bachalo and Mark Buckingham. It is a spin-off from Gaiman's best-selling Vertigo Comics series The Sandman, featuring the Sandman (Dream)'s elder sister, Death of the Endless. Its premise is that Death takes human form once a century, to remain grounded and in touch with humanity, an idea touched upon in several other media, for example in the 1934 film Death Takes a Holiday and in the Terry Pratchett novel Reaper Man.
Simon "Si" Spurrier is a British comics writer and novelist, who has previously worked as a cook, a bookseller, and an art director for the BBC.
The Presence is a fictional character in comic books published by DC Comics. The character debuted in More Fun Comics #52, and was created by Jerry Siegel and Bernard Baily.
Mark Simpson, known by the pen name Jock, is a Scottish cartoonist, best known for his work in 2000 AD, The Losers, and more recently Batman and Wolverine. He is also known for Wytches by Image Comics.
David Lloyd is an English comics artist best known as the illustrator of the story V for Vendetta, written by Alan Moore, and the designer of its anarchist protagonist V and the modern Guy Fawkes/V mask, the latter going on to become a symbol of protest.
Jamie Delano is an English comic book writer. He was part of the first post-Alan Moore "British Invasion" of writers which started to feature in American comics in the 1980s. He is best known as the first writer of the comic book series Hellblazer, featuring John Constantine.
John Thomas Totleben is an American illustrator working mostly in comic books.
DC Comics Absolute Edition is a series of archival quality printings of graphic novels published by DC Comics and its imprints WildStorm Productions and Vertigo. Each is presented in a hardcover and slipcased edition with cloth bookmark consisting of one or more books which include restored, corrected and recolored versions of the original work, reprinted at 8 by 12 inches. Also included are supplemental materials regarding the creation of the work, including sketches, comic scripts and memos.
Constantine is a former ongoing comic book series published by DC Comics, which started in March 2013. It features English Magician John Constantine reestablished into the DC Universe and replaces the former Vertigo Comics title Hellblazer, which ended with its 300th issue after 25 years in February 2013. The title character was originally created by Alan Moore in his 1980s run on Swamp Thing. The series received mixed reviews; writers praised its story but were critical of its characters, setting, and artwork. Many were disappointed that the series replaced Hellblazer, with writer Joshua Hale Fialkov stating the series did not have the "real" John Constantine.
The character the Swamp Thing has appeared in seven American comic book series to date, including several specials, and has crossed over into other DC Comics titles. The series found immense popularity upon its 1970s debut and during the mid-late 1980s under Alan Moore, Stephen Bissette, and John Totleben. These eras were met with high critical praise and numerous awards. However, over the years, the Swamp Thing comics have suffered from low sales, which have resulted in numerous series cancellations and revivals.
Hell is a fictional location, an infernal Underworld utilized in various American comic book stories published by DC Comics. It is the locational antithesis of the Silver City in Heaven. The DC Comics location known as Hell is heavily based on its depiction in Abrahamic mythology. Although several versions of Hell had briefly appeared in other DC Comics publications in the past, the official DC Comics concept of Hell was first properly established when it was mentioned in The Saga of the Swamp Thing #25–27 and was first seen in Swamp Thing Annual #2 (1985), all of which were written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Stephen Bissette and John Totleben.
Justice League Dark, or JLD, is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team would make their debut appearance in Justice League Dark #1. The Justice League Dark team features some of the more supernatural characters in the DC Universe, handling mystical threats and situations deemed outside the scope of the traditional Justice League. Similarly to the Justice League title, the team features well-known characters such as John Constantine, Zatanna, Doctor Fate, and Wonder Woman while also bringing exposure to lesser-known supernatural characters.
DC Black Label is an imprint of American comic book publisher DC Comics consisting of original miniseries and reprints of books previously published under other imprints. The imprint intends to present traditional DC Universe characters for a mature audience with stand-alone Prestige Format series. The first title of the imprint, Batman: Damned, was shipped on September 19, 2018.
Black Orchid is an American comic book written by Neil Gaiman with art by Dave McKean. It was published by DC Comics as a three-issue limited series from December 1988 to February 1989, and was later reprinted in trade paperback form. Black Orchid follows two girls, Flora and Suzy, who awaken in a greenhouse. Their journey to find out who they are leads them into contact with DC Universe figures like Batman and Swamp Thing, but also into conflict with criminal mastermind Lex Luthor, who seeks them for his own interests.